In the face of significant increases in demand for community support coupled with unprecedented interruptions in local food supply chains, six local Rotary clubs have come together to provide over $32,000 in support of three local food banks in Abbotsford and Mission.
In the face of significant increases in demand for community support coupled with unprecedented interruptions in local food supply chains, six local Rotary clubs have come together to provide over $32,000 in support of three local food banks in Abbotsford and Mission.
The six local Rotary clubs (Abbotsford, Abbotsford-Matsqui, Abbotsford-Sumas, Fraser Valley Rotaracts, Mission and Mission Midday) are all part of the larger Rotary International District 5050, a geographical zone of local Rotary club stretching from Hope, BC to Everett, WA.
Like virtually all international service clubs and organizations, the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the cancelation of major annual events. District leadership made the decision to deploy monies that would have been spent on these events back into the local communities in the form of community grants, provided local Rotary clubs matched these amounts.
The local clubs, many who have been working with local community service groups for years on projects such as Starfish Packs, immediately identified an urgent need to put dollars in the hands of local food banks.
Starting with the matching grants from the Rotary District, the six clubs were able to provide three local food banks with $14,000. The three food banks are Abbotsford’s Archway Food Bank (abbotsfordfoodbank.com), St. Joseph’s Food Bank (missionfoodbank.com) and Mission Community Services Food Bank (missioncomunityservices.com)
The local Rotary clubs then went to individual members with the challenge to add to the District funds. To date, over $32,000 dollars have been contributed by the six local service clubs for the local food banks.
Mission Rotary Club President Lloyd Rash says the food needs are growing every day. “Hopefully, the support of local foodbanks by local Rotarians will inspire other individuals and groups in Mission to step up and help meet the ever growing number of neighbors and friends who need a little help over the coming weeks and months.”
Fraser Valley Rotaract President Tyson said supporting the project went beyond simply helping the food banks with much needed cash. “Rotaracts are young Rotarians between the ages of 18-31. Most of our members are just graduating or starting their careers, some have already been laid off from their jobs. I have been told by some of the older, more established Rotarians locally that for our group to put the needs of others ahead of ourselves at a time like this was an inspiration for those groups to give more.”
Abbotsford Rotary President Bruce Beck was one such person inspired by the immediate response by Rotarians in both communities. “It’s been said that you can learn a great deal about the character of a community by watching how it treats its weakest members: the old, the young, the poor. And that test becomes even more important in times of crisis, which certainly our communities and country and planet are facing right now.”
“It’s something special to see young Rotaracts, who are worried about their jobs and their rent, stand side by side with older Rotarians who themselves are worried about the health of themselves and their families and the future of their livelihoods. It gives me hope that, for our faults, our communities are going to come out of this crisis stronger and more grateful for all the things we’ve always taken for granted.”
The six Rotary clubs contribute to collect financial support for local food banks and are challenging other local service clubs, faith groups and individuals to join the campaign by supporting a local food bank.